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I am playing in a children's concert in a couple of weeks and each section has been asked to have the principle play an excerpt (12 bars approx.) to demonstrate each instrument. I am looking for something that will show off the instrument more than the player. Any suggestions?.......

--doubler alert--

Ryan,

There's always the Veggie Tales oom-pah thing, the VW cadenza, or The Ride, but here is a lick that I have used a lot for bass trombone demos. Kids seem to eat it up, and it helps show off the low range and pedal growl of the bass trombone. On tuba, it will be withing normal playing range and not invlove any pedals. Once you play it, you will know what I mean.
Bb-G-F-D-Pedal Bb-(gliss)-Pedal FF-(gliss)-Pedal Bb
You can always smear the valves from Bb to FF and back if you so desire.
Here is a MIDI file of it:
http://www.geocities.com/martyneilan/BassBoneDemo.MID
Hope this helps, as I see you haven't gotten any responses yet.

Thanks Marty....I went to practice today and we decided on "the Ride"...maybe i should have asked valves vs rotors...

I agree with bloke, a tune that is recogniseable is a big advantage. Remember it's a demo for the children not your colleagues.
I often use "Teddy Bears Picnic" with good results, and usually get more smiles from the children by playing an additional last note an octave lower.

Thanks guys...I was hoping for something better for the kids than "Ride". I got a couple of weeks to change minds....keep the ideas coming (and I do agree...simple is better for this concert)

Hey Ryan,
how about one piece known to the kids from TV (I don´t know what is most popular in the US right now) or from the charts, where you first play the melody to show off melodic capabilities of the horn and to make them realise what you´re doing, and then add the bass line to introduce what the horn is used for most of the time ?
My sister is a music teacher, and she introduced the tuba by playing my "Travelin´light" CD by Sam Pilafian to the kids.
That one gives great examples of repeated switch between solo and bass line. She had the kids write down their comments, and those were very interesting to read, ´cause they were very aware of what they heard.
Of course, they were about ten to 12 years of age.
To how old an audience will you be playing ?

all what was said is good.

also may be interesting to consider

- The Simpsons theme
- Pink Panther theme
- The Elephant from Carnival of Animals
- Can Can
- That 5 note theme from E.T. (D, E, C, CC, GG) (accel. ad limit)

I dont know what kids in America can recognize these days...

To how old an audience will you be playing ?

I'ts grades K-8 so I figure 5-13 year olds.

The Star Wars theme usually seems to work well.

I also agree with Marty: I will play a Bb Major scale starting on the the Bb below the staff, go up two or three octaves then descend on the Major arpeggio all the way down to the pedal BBb. I really make the low F and pedal Bb growl and the kids' eyes will usuall get wide then.

Also, be prepared for the younger ones to want to put their heads in your bell.

Did this a couple of weeks ago for my nieces kindergarden class. They study one instrument a month and it was Tuba month. When I pulled the horn out of its bag it was shock and awe. I then played the Sesame Stree theme knowing that they would recognize it. They loved it. Played a few other tunes that I thought would be recognizable such as Amazing Grace and even a Beetles song off the top of my head and one fast excerpt.

I then opened it up for questions and requests which they sang along with. One request was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. They loved it and several stated that they were going to play the tuba. I also passed around a plastic Kellyberg and a trumpet mouthpiece so that they could see the difference.

I had a great time. Good Luck

Hello Ryan,
I am a middle school music teacher and when I demonstrate the brass instruments, I use the same song on all of them to show the different sounds of each instrument. I usually use the theme song from "Barney"(Yankee Doodle) All of the kids will recognize it , some just won't like it. Or the closing theme for a slower/melodic example, " I Love You"(This old Man)
Good luck, Have FUN
Dave "Spending my spring break by trying to be a Plumber and a Tile setter"
Hayami

if you wanna see them go crazy, play the underowrld themem from super mario bros. believe me, IT WERKS!

For the past 20 years or so, I have been playing The Flinstones theme - the whole thing. I play it for kids grades 4-6 at an assembly where we, as a brass quintet, demonstrate the various brass instruments. It was always a big hit, but I am noticing that many of the kids these days are becoming increasingly more unaware of the Flinstones. Too bad! I might have to come up with a new piece for next year.

I would second something along the lines of the Flintstones theme idea. The problem with using something from Barney, for example, with a bunch of fourth or fifth graders, is that they think they're really cool, and that Barney is for little kids, and I know that if I were a fifth grader, I'd have been turned off by it. The whole reason I played tuba is because my band director played the Imperial March from Star Wars on the demonstration day.